The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1887-06-16

Uullu yOu1 ploOiOAAu' o"
platform to all Legislative bodies, pol
itical parties, and the country, with
the assurance it is what you need, must
have, and that you will never stop
work till it is incorporated into the
platform of every political party and
recognized by every Legislative body.
Convince them that you are in earnest,
that yor mean just what you say, and
say just what you mean, and your
work is done. See the Chinese ques-
ton in California; the Oleomargarine
bill; the Railroad bill, Gust passed(,
and many others, where the people
speak with the strength of numbers.
This convincing work is not to be done
by adopting preambles and resolutions
on paper, but by each of you, individ-
ually, starting from his home and fire.
side to every primary, country, State,
and National political meeting Of his
respective party with this platform in
his hand, in his head, and in his heart,
and see that no man gets a nomination
in his party from Coroner to President
without being first pledged to his plat.
form. No need to quit your political
party. You democrats control the
Democratic party; Republicans the
Republican party; Greebackers the
Greenback party, &C., and see that
you do it. Then every man nomi-
mated by every party will be, if elect
ed, pledged to your platform. Don't
try to turn your agricultural organiza-
ton into a political party, but simply
make your political party an agricult-
ural organization. To inject partisan
politics into an agricultural organiza-
ton destroys it sooner or later, but to
inject agricultural doctrines into a
political party would strengthen it.
But you can do nothing without
strong organizations, and you can't get
all in any one more than you could
into n church, school, college or
profession. So build up your own
order and appeal to each and every
man of the agricultural and industrial
classes to join, at once, some organiza-
ton, and through it, in good faith,
harmony and fraternity, aid to relieve
the people and save the country.
Lest some should suspect a political
Trojan horse, let me say this: My
personal platform is very short but
very plain, viz: The church has
charge of my religion; the Grange
and Agricultural Society my agricul-
ture, and the Democratic party of my
politics. To each of these I am loyal,
and in them [ place implicit faith. I
will vote for the Democrat nominated,
but I will prevent, if [ can, any one
being nominated who refuses to en-
dorsed our platform.
To hope for success in any of these
undertakings a different spirit and
feeling must rule the future from such
as ruled and ruined the efforts of the
past. That past, that enmity, hatred,
malice, division, antagonism, jealousy,
suspicion and abuse drove asunder,
in countless fragments to the four
winds of heaven such organizations as
you and others had, and left you all
the helpless prey Of those very classes
and organizations which were running
you. At once these laughed and
chuckled with glee to see you wrangle
and divide; saving them from any
effort to conquer and capture you.
Instead Of this, there must be mu-
tual conclusion, harmony, accord,
faith, confidence, truth, honesty,
justice, charity and fraternity. En-
courage all your members to strive to
advance themselves and you. Even
cultivate an honest ambition to
fill the Offices in your order and those
of the country. The honorable ambi-
ton of her sons is the salvation of the
republic. IT'S the dishonest intrigues
of bad men to. secure Office that can
alone endanger it. So, when your
rising members seek and obtain honor
able positions, do not taunt them
with it as a reproach, II impute it to
them as a crime. Any people or
class, to succeed, must have their
friends to represent them, and SO must
you.